Nine major research projects in teaching and learning funded at £7.5 million have been announced under Phase II of the ESRC Teaching and Learning Research Programme.
Based in universities throughout the UK, the projects are part of a Programme which will lead to improvements in the achievement of learners over a wide range of settings from primary schools to professional training. Individual projects will run for 3-5 years. All involve partnerships between researchers and practitioners, managers and other users, from the design and conduct of the research to communicating the results to the teachers and trainers who can use them to make a difference in practice.
The announcement is the culmination of an intensive 9 month competition, for which 95 applications were received. Including the four Research Networks already in progress and other work in support of communicating research findings and training for researchers, the Programme represents the largest and most coordinated investment made to date in developing the evidence base for effective learning and teaching in the UK.
Three of the funded programmes focus on learning at post-compulsory education stages:
- Martin Bloomer (Exeter), Denis Gleeson (Warwick), Phil Hodkinson (Leeds), David James (West of England) and Keith Postlethwaite (Exeter), Transforming Learning Cultures in Further Education; Enhancing attainment in FE colleges by providing evidence of effective teaching and learning
- Noel Entwistle, Dai Hounsell (both Edinburgh), Erik Meyer (Durham), Liz Beaty (Coventry), Hilary Tait (Napier), Charles Anderson, Katherine Day and Ray Land (all Edinburgh), Enhancing Teaching-Learning Environments in Undergraduate Courses Improving student; learning through research evidence on effective teaching practice
- Michael Eraut (Sussex), Frederick Maillardet, Carolyn Miller (both Brighton) and Stephen Steadman (Sussex), Learning During the First Three Years of Postgraduate Employment; Better continuing professional development for newly graduated professionals
Summaries of these projects can be found on the Programme Website
